From the Desk of Tom Raffanello, President of the Islamorada Community Alliance: In a continuing effort to inform and educate the residents of current events, mandates and issues that affect the lives of residents and our unique environment, I submit the following:

“Affordable Housing”- a never-ending problem no closer to solutions decades later!

A week ago, many of us were shocked and angered when Monroe County advertised Southcliff Estates workforce housing units for rent in the Upper Keys.  The MM95 units are all 1 bedroom units, 3 buildings with 4 units in each building – feet away from the right of way of U.S. One. 

The rent - $2,995 per month! $35,940 per year.

Occupants must work in a tourist related industry and their income must be at least $71,880, double the annual rent so tenants will have 50% of their income left to pay for transportation, food, clothes, insurance, and utilities (water is covered as part of the lease).

Last year the state legislature approved using $35 million in bed tax excesses from Tourist Development Council (TDC) for affordable housing.  But only for employees in the tourist industry. No firemen, no police officers, no teachers.  

The County purchased these 12 newly built units at Southcliff Estates, a month ago using part of the $35 million from the TDC. They paid $7,310,900 for the 12 units, closing 6/30/2025. 

The only practical way we can ever provide significant affordable housing in the Keys is with some type of government subsidies. Land and building costs are just too high.

Wasn’t the TDC funding intended to be used as a subsidy to make workforce housing available at an affordable price?  $2995 for a 1-bedroom rental is far from affordable.

Come on, Monroe County – use this money for the intended purpose –to make housing that is affordable.  Where’s the subsidy?  You don’t need to charge close to the maximum allowed.  You got the funding from TDC and still make the tourist industry worker pay what we believe is above market rate? Not right.

Examples of government subsidies that exist: The Village of Islamorada has provided numerous subsidies for affordable housing projects. Even with some Village taxpayers struggling to pay their own bills.

• The Village taxpayers have provided numerous properties to Habitat – either leasing at minimal cost or donating land.  The property near Plantation Key School was purchased for over $1 million and gifted to Habitat for affordable housing. 

• The Village provides $10,000 to first time homeowners for down payments for many of the Habitat homes.

• The Federal Government provides tax credits for developers to cover significant costs of building affordable housing like the Wet Net on Upper Matecumbe. 

This doesn’t make a dent in what we need.

Who checks occupancy: The local governments have a responsibility to not only help with subsidies but also in compliance efforts to assure those that qualify for affordable housing are the ones occupying the homes.  

Median Income is a huge problem: Our affordable housing rates follow HUD requirements.  Base rates are calculated using the County’s median income. 

Monroe County median income may be the highest in the state at $118,000.

Rental rates for workforce housing at Southcliff Estates and other housing projects should be based on the income level of workers you want to house, not a countywide median that makes the rents impossible for the targeted workers!

The median income here is very high.   You have to be pretty affluent to live here.  And thus we have to import our workforce from the mainland. Few can afford the high cost of living in paradise.

In order to begin to solve this problem, can we set our own standards instead of using the current median income formula for establishing qualified rent limits for workforce housing?

Imported workers from mainland: In the Upper Keys we have been able to import thousands of employees from the mainland.  That supply is diminishing as mainland industry continues to grow and thrive in South Dade. Won’t it eventually be more enticing for workers to work closer to home. Sometimes the buses are full. Tired workers must stand in the crowded bus aisleways for hours getting through Keys traffic back to the mainland. How long will they put up with that?

Bottom line- we are approaching a critical point. Special circumstances dictate special action by all government entities involved.

Top Priority? The local Keys governments say that they have placed workforce housing at the top of their priority list of our most critical needs. Then they need to take some special measures and truly address the problem!

Consider giving rent subsidies to existing rental housing to make up the difference in rent to property owners renting long term.

When rents at Southcliff Estates are collected, what entity benefits from the $2995 rent for the “affordable housing”? Can the profits be used for first responders, teachers and nurses?

Many questionable government decisions keep increasing the cost of living in the Keys.

It is making our islands less and less affordable to the middle class and to workers?

Half of Islamorada’s government budget goes to pay staff yet only a few members of our staff can afford to live here.  Over a hundred employees live outside Village limits but they receive salaries as if they resided in the Village with its high cost of living.

We were excited when the Florida Legislature actually approved the $35 million in TDC funding for affordable housing projects. We sure don’t need tens of millions a year in bed tax funds spent to attract more tourists.  Bed tax should provide significant funding for the impact tourism creates… paying a fair share for public safety, roads, infrastructure and parks. 

Here’s a couple proposals:

• Lobby the legislature to change TDC requirements so bed tax can be spent regularly on all impacts of tourism, particularly affordable housing and public safety.  Especially in an area of critical state concern.

• Islamorada bought the Island Community Church last August, but apparently has no practical use for it.  Lease the land (and the Machado property too) to a developer, like Gorman, as the Village did with the Wet Net, to create truly affordable housing.  (The Wet Net 3-bedroom townhomes rent for under $2000/month, some much less, due to subsidies.)

We should abandon the failed track we are on and take bold steps.

Legislators!!  Are you listening?

Help us make this work!

Remember, elections have consequences and this is just another one.

As always,

Tom Raffanello

Reply to: ICA.in.Keys@gmail.com

In a continuing effort to inform and educate the residents of current events, mandates and issues that affect the lives of residents and our unique environment, I submit the following:

Another self inflicted gunshot wound:

Four Laning U.S. One: Earlier this year, for some unknown reason, the Monroe County Commission directed their staff to prepare amendments to the County Comprehensive Plan, an amendment to delete the prohibition against additional 4-laning of U.S. One in the Keys.

This would destroy Islamorada in many ways.

Last week, the proposed amendment was heard by the County Planning Commission.

They voted 3 to 1 recommending the Commission reject the requested proposal to delete their 4-lane highway change. We commend them for using common sense.

This will go to the County Commission soon for their vote.

If past be prologue, the County Commission take on unfettered development is dismal (see the vote on Publix at Cemex). Their constituents were solidly against the Publix but the Commission voted for it under the guise of “affordable housing”.  For whom?

At a time when the county criticizes the state for preempting local authority, to propose that FDOT make the 4-lane highway call is flat. Asking for pre-emption!

U.S. One is a local issue. Residents who depend on this highway to live, work and send their children to school should decide.  Not elected officials or bureaucrats

A 4-lane highway will ensure increased traffic, more development, increased stress on our environment and infrastructure. This diminishes and destroys our quality of life.

Crossing and navigating a 4-lane highway opens up dire safety concerns. A 4-lane highway running through our community enhances the danger of crossing or turning from or to a four-lane highway for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.

What will Islamorada do?

I urge our officials not to take the easy way out! Vote and support our “fishing village”, not the new Miami Beach. Tell the County Commission you say “No!”

A 4-lane highway could also affect the evacuation time. Evacuations might no longer be a limiting factor in the Keys’ rate of growth.

Questionable “studies” will tell you Islamorada and the Keys can handle the additional growth - wastewater treatment, schools, water supply, stormwater runoff from the widened highway. 

We cannot handle all of the above without huge tax consequences. Tax increases will drive more long-term residents away.

Maybe the goal is to be a village of vacation rentals and a few wealthy residents.

And what about our workforce? No workforce could survive

If we give up the right to determine our future, and U.S. One is widened through Islamorada, what will happen to our businesses that will have a 4-lane highway right out their front door – with no parking! 

Chamber of Commerce and TDC, where are you on this?

There is a saturation point for access and parking. There are many other poor outcomes. Imagine the tremendous cost of widening the 42 bridges in the Keys!

Again it comes at the cost of higher taxes – local, state and Federal.  

Question -what creates the existing traffic on US one? The very worst is on holiday weekends, mini-season, and when weather elsewhere is miserable.

The congestion is not created by residents.

The Tourist Development Council continues to advertise to bring more tourists. The statute that guides the TDC should be revised to pay more toward infrastructure for the victims of increased tourism.

Let your feelings be known!

Contact your County Commissioner and Village officials today!

Elections have consequences and this is just another one.

As always,

Tom Raffanello

Reply to: ICA.in.Keys@gmail.com